does anybody dive here?

[bluenassarius]

hello all,

i'm from california and looking for marine plants native to carribean. particularly shaving brush, mermaids fan and any other cool marine plants. if anybody dives or collects this stuff, i'm willing to trade some nice coral, zooanthids, shrooms, etc for em. please pm me or email me at realcalicheese@hotmail.com.


sam

 

[iflyprops]

Collecting plants, in the keys at least, is illegal without a permit.

 

[bluenassarius]

is a fishing license suffice for taking home some plants?

 

[DaveG99]

I currenty have a shaving bush and some halimedia in my tank that I collected in the keys. I am going down there in the next couple weeks and I can get you some stuff. Not sure how it would ship though. I also can get some fish, all kinds of brittle stars, emerald crabs, decorator crabs, sea urchins, snails, mantis shrimp and lots of other things. And I get this stuff in about 1-3 feet of water.

 

[bluenassarius]

dave, i replied to you.

 

[lusenut2]

Hey dave. Did you get that tank sold. I know a lot of people were interested in it but no one had come to get it. Let me know, I have someone that wants it.

 

[thor32766]

yes it is illegal to collect without a permit, not a saltwater fishing license, but a state appointed permit. they changed the law, because collecting the plants requires a majority of the time pulling it off live rock. they did it to help protect the reefs. You have to check the laws appointed to the keys. They are in a total differant bracket when it comes to their regulations, differing from the states regular saltwater laws.

 

[DaveG99]

Your only breaking the law if you get caught. And yes I sold the tank.

 

[iflyprops]

Thats not a very good philosophy. Remember, we all have tanks because we enjoy bringing nature into our home, and nature should not have to torn up for our hobby.

I have collected Caulerpa in the keys, but that was on a permit for a college study as it is not native to the area. The Marine Patrol is out there watching you, if you haven't gotten caught its only a matter of time. :lol:

-Adam

 

[DaveG99]

Taking a few things such as rocks and crabs and some plants isnt going to hurt anything. I do not tear up the ocean. Any rock I flip over I put back like it was. I take care of everything I take. Its still alive except its relocated. Anything you put in your tank comes from somewhere in the ocean. I guess its ok if someone in a country far away collects stuff for your tank but if you do it your self its bad. The bottom line is that its getting collected somewhere no matter if your doing it yourself or if someone else is doing it for you.